A Common Myth About Dentures

Some people still think that dentures are a natural part of getting older. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Myth: I’ll get dentures, and I’ll never need to see the dentist again (plus, look at how much money I’ll save!)

Reality: While you may believe that dental repairs cost too much and it’s less expensive to just take your teeth out, life with a denture is not ideal.

Dentures are expensive too. Costs you can expect to have with your first denture include (but are not limited to): removal of remaining teeth and roots and bone trimming in addition to the denture itself. If you choose an immediate or same day denture (one that is put in on the day that you get your teeth removed), you also need to plan to have reline material placed between your gums and the denture base because your bone and gums will shrink as the extraction sites heal.

Some immediate dentures are made to be used for a year or so with the understanding that a better (longer-term) denture needs to be made to replace it once the healing has stabilized. Relines need to be factored into your costs even in that case. Plus, dentures should be replaced every 5 to 10 years because your gums and bones continue to change.

Plus, dentures are a poor substitute for your own teeth. For every wearer who finds them comfortable and is able to eat anything with them, there are 2 or 3 who find them uncomfortable and who are unable to eat certain foods that they would like to eat. If you don’t have enough bone height, it can be hard to keep the dentures in your mouth without them falling when you eat or talk.

This myth persists despite all the advances in dental care that have been made in recent years. Finding out that you can’t wear them once you have dentures is a horrible feeling, especially considering the money you’ll have invested by that point. There’s no way to put teeth back once you’ve had them removed. Dental implants would be the only option to have something even remotely like your own teeth. Please let us help you keep them!

Dr. Jennifer Robb is a general dentist who is accepting new patients at her Lorain office located at 1612 Cooper Foster Park Rd. Please call 440-960-1940 to schedule your time with us! You can also find Dr. Robb on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DrJenniferRobb or on the web at www.drjrobb.com